Gas vs. your own solar panels
This is the whole show. Same miles. One bill is gasoline. The other is sunshine from your own solar panels.
⛽ Gasoline
18¢ per mile
$2,155 a year
$4.49 a gallon ÷ 25 miles per gallon = $0.18 a mile.
At 12,000 miles a year.
☀ Your solar panels
1–2¢ per mile
$150–$240 a year
Power from your own solar panels costs roughly 5–8¢ per kWh over their life. A car uses about 0.25 kWh a mile, so that’s about 1.3–2¢ a mile.
At 12,000 miles a year.
Grand Junction average regular, AAA, updated Oct 15, 2026.
All figures are estimates. Gas prices, your car’s efficiency and your system cost will change them.
Sunshine in, miles out
Your solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. Your home charger sends it into your car. You drive on sunshine instead of gas.
The sun shines
Solar panels on your roof or in your yard make clean power all day.
Your home charges
The power runs your house and your Level 2 car charger. Extra goes to the grid for credit.
You drive for pennies
Your electric car fills up in the garage, with no gas station trips.
How many solar panels does one electric car need?
Fewer than most people think. About five.
2,000 watts ÷ 400 watts per solar panel = 5 solar panels. Estimates only; your car and driving will vary.
Your car is your biggest “fuel bill”
Every kWh your solar panels put into your car replaces gas you would have bought, which is worth far more than the electricity it replaces in your house.
☀ Daytime charging
Home during the day or working from home? Plug in at midday and charge straight from your solar panels.
🌙 Night charging
With net metering, extra daytime power sent to the grid earns credit that covers charging overnight. A home battery can store sunshine for the evening too.
🔌 Level 2 home charger
A 240-volt charger, like a dryer outlet, adds about 20–30 miles every hour and fills most cars overnight. A regular outlet (Level 1) adds only 3–5 miles an hour.
Electric car + solar questions
Will my solar panels charge my car at night?
Not directly, because solar panels only make power when the sun is up. With net metering, the extra power your solar panels send to the grid during the day earns credit, and that credit covers your charging at night. A home battery is the other option: it stores daytime solar power for evening charging.
Do I need a special charger?
Not to start. Any electric car can plug into a regular 120-volt outlet (Level 1), but that only adds about 3 to 5 miles per hour. Most owners add a Level 2 charger on a 240-volt circuit, like a dryer outlet, which adds about 20 to 30 miles per hour and fills most cars overnight.
Can I add solar panels for a car to my existing system?
Often, yes. Many systems can be expanded with a few more solar panels. Give us a call and we will look at your roof, your inverter and your power bill.
What if I don’t have an electric car yet?
You can size your system for one now, or plan room on the roof to add solar panels later. Either way, we will help you plan it.
Are these numbers exact?
No. They are simple estimates for the Grand Junction area. Your driving, your car, your roof and gas prices will change the real numbers.